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' FIRE EXTINGUISHING Filed Aug. 12, 1965 INVENTOR WILL 8. J l S ON 3,356,148 FIRE EXTINGUISHING Will B. Jamison, Wyekotf, N.J., assignor to Specialties Development Corporation, Belleville, N.J., a corporation of New Jersey Filed Aug. 19, 1965, Ser. No. 480,911 7 Claims. (Cl. 169-15) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE more particularly to a method of and a system including apparatus for extinguishing burning fatty oil in an open receptacle wherein sufficient carbon dioxide is applied to the surface of the burning oil to extinguish the same and sufiicient high expansion foam is then applied to cool the oil to a temperature at which the oil will not reignite.

The present invention is concerned with, but is not limited to, effectively extinguishing and preventing reignition of deep frying fats in restaurant kitchens. Such fats or fatty oils usually have an open cup flash point temperature of between about 425? and 625 F; and

will spatter when contacted by water while at a temperature in excess of about 250 F.

Heretofore, it has been proposed to extinguish such fires by carbon dioxide or a dry chemical powder. Both of these materials are effective to extinguish the fire, but

are ineffective to cool the hot fatty oil to a temperature whereat the oil will not re-ignite.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to p s s apparatus for effectively extinguishing such fires and for preventing the re-ignition thereof without danger of spattering and causing a fire exteriorily of the open receptacle.

Another object is to provide such a system which can include apparatus for cooling and inerting spaces surrounding the receptacle.

A further object is .to accomplish the foregoing in a simple. practical, reliable and economical manner.

Other and further objects of the invention will be obvious upon an understanding of the illustrative embodiment about to be described, or will be indicated in the appended claims, and various advantages not referred to herein will occur to one skilled in the art upon employment of the invention in practice.

A preferred embodiment of the invention has been chosen for purposes of illustration and description, and is shown in the accompanying drawing, forming a part of the specification. wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a system in accordance with the'present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view of the apparatus for applying carbon dioxide and generating and applying high expansion foam onto the fire.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, there is shown a system which generally comprises carbon dioxide and high expansion foam discharge apparatus 10, a source ll of aqueous solution containing a suitable foaming agent. a source 12 of liquefied carbon dioxide having a valve 13. a carbon dioxide and solution mixing discharge head 14. and suitable conduit means for connecting the sources. the discharge apparatus and the mixing head as described hereinafter.

As shown in FIG. 1, the discharge apparatus 10 is arranged for applying carbon dioxide and high expansion foam onto the surface of the deep frying [at F of an open receptacle R resting on a source of heat'of a restaurant kitchen range K; and the mixing discharge head l-i is arranged to cool and inert spaces surrounding the United States Patent I The present invention relates to fire extinguishing, and

ice

receptacle on the kitchen range hood at the exhaust duct side thereof.

As shown in FIG. 2, the discharge apparatus 10 com prises a tubular member or casing 15 having an open end 16 and a closed end 17, a foam forming net 18 adjacent the open end, a nozzle 19 within the casing adjacent the closed end for directing carbon dioxide toward the net, and spray means 20 for directing a solution containing the foaming agent onto the net to produce the high expansion foam in accordance with the disclosure of US. Patent No. 3,142,340, July 28, 1964.

By high expansion foam is meant a foam which contains one volume of solution for each 100 to 2000 volumes of gas. The solution is deposited on the net 18 and the stream of carbon dioxide from the nozzle 19 flows through the net to cause the solution to produce the high expansion foam which is directed as a plug onto the surface of the oil in the receptacle.

Referring again to FIG. 1, the spray means 20 is connected to the source 11 by first conduit means 21, and the nozzle 19 is connected to the valve 13 of the source 12 by second conduit means 22. The source 11 includes a container 24 provided with a syphon tube 25 in fluid flow communication with the conduit means 21, and the source 12 is connected to the source 11 by third conduit means 26 so as to utilize a portion of the carbon dioxide to expel the solution from the source 11.

The mixing discharge head 14 may be of the type disclosed in US Patent 2,248,270, July 8, 1941, which has first and second inlets 27 and 28. In the event this head is utilized in conjunction with the apparatus 10, the

first inlet is connected to the first conduit means 21 by fourth conduit a 2'; 'xnri his m i fairs no M...

nected to the second conduit means 22 by fifth conduitmeans 30. The first, second, third, fourth and fifth conduit means have valves 31, 32, 33, 34 and 35 connected therein respectively, for proportioning the flow rate through the conduit means.

In order to prevent contamination of the foam forming net 18 by greasy vapors emanating from the receptacle R. a closure 36 is removably mounted on the open end of the casing 15 for normally closing the open end 16 but being adapted to be removed by pressure within the easing supplied by the carbon dioxide. The generation of foam and the delivery of solution to the discharge head 14 are delayed by connecting a time delay means 37 in the third conduit means 26 so that-there is an initial discharge of carbon dioxide which removes the closure 36 and knocks down the flame before foam is generated to cool the oil in the receptacle.

Likewise, a time delay means 38 connected to the fifth conduit means 30 delays the delivery of carbon dioxide until solution is available. The delay required is just short.

In operation, the valves 13, 31, 34 and normally are in closed position; and the valves 32 and 33 normally are open. When a fire occurs in the receptacle R, the valve 13 is opened, whereupon gaseous carbon dioxide enters the casing 15, effects removal of the closure and causes a dense spray of carbon dioxide gas to be directed onto the fire which knocks down the flame almost instantly. The valve 31 is then opened whereupon the aqueous solution is sprayed onto the not 18 and the carbon dioxide gas passing through the net produces high expansion foam which is directed onto the surface of the fat to cool the same and the receptacle to a temperature at which the fat will not ignite.

The mixing head 14 is put into operation when rquircd by opening the valves 34 and 35 to admit carbon dioxide and aqueous solution thereto.

sufficient to dislodge the closure 36 and thus is very From the foregoing description, it will be Seen th t the present invention provides a useful method'and sy tent for extinguishing deep frying fat fires in Open rcceptacles associated with kitchen rang: hoods-and cxhaust ducts.

As various changes may be made in the form, construction andv arrangement of the parts herein, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and without sacrificing any of its advantages, it is to be understood that all matter herein is to be interpretd as illustrative and not in any limiting sense.

I claim: 1

1. A system for extinguishing an oil fire in an open receptacle which system comprises a tubular member having an open end and a closed end, said open end facing the receptacle, a foam forming net adjacent the open end of said member, a nozzle in said member adjacent the closed end of said member, andrfacing said net, spray means in said member between said net and said nozzle and facing said net, a first source containing aqueous solution containing'a foaming agent, first conduit means connecting said first source to said spray means, a second source containing liquefied carbon dioxide. second conduit means connecting said second source to said nozzle, and third conduit means connecting said sources for causing said second source to pressurize said first source and expel solution therefrom.

2. A system according to claim 1, including a closure removably mounted on the open end of said tubular member for normally closing said open end and being removed by pressure within said tubular member to open said open end.

3. A system according to claim 2, including time delay means in said third conduit means so that carbon dioxide entering said tubular member effects removal of said closure before solution is sprayed onto said net.

4. A avatar-r, 'APPflrrlinor tn claim 1 i -lnflf n 0 co t tion and carbon dioxide mixing discharge head for cooling and inerting spaces surrounding the open receptacle 1 and having first and second inlets, fourth conduit means connecting said first conduit means to said first inlet, and fifth conduit means connecting said second conduit means to said second inlet.

5. A system according to claim 4, including valve means in all of said conduit means for proportioning the flow rate therethrough.

6. A system for extinguishing an oil fire in an open receptacle which apparatus comprises a tubular member having an open end and a closed end, a foam forming net adjacent said open end, a nozzle in said member adjacent said closed end and upstream of said not for directing carbon dioxide through said net at a rate to rapidly extinguish a fat fire, spray means in said member between said net and said nozzle for directing an aqueous solution containing a foaming agent onto the net which is caused to produce foam when carbon dioxide forces the same through said net, and control means for said nozzle and said spray means for first rendering said nozzle effective and to render said spray means effective after the fire has been extinguished while said nozzle remains effective.

7. A system according to claim 6, including a closure removably mounted on the open end of said member for normally closing said open end and being removed by pressure within said member to open said open end.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,340,601 5/1920 Erwin et al. 169-15 1,849,945 3/1932 Mobley et al. 239-307 2,295,571 9/1942 Ensminger et al. 169-4 2,309,247 1/1943 Johnson 239-307 2,645,292 7/1953 Williams 169-l5 3,142,340 7/1964 Jamison 169l5 EVERETT W. KIRBY, Primary Examiner. 

6. A SYSTEM FOR EXTINGUISHING AN OIL FIRE IN AN OPEN RECEPTACLE WHICH APPARATUS COMPRISES A TUBULAR MEMBER HAVING AN OPEN END AND A CLOSED END, A FOAM FORMING NET ADJACENT SAID OPEN END, A NOZZLE IN SAID MEMBER ADJACENT SAID CLOSED END AND UPSTREAM OF SAID NET FOR DIRECTING CARBON DIOXIDE THROUGH SAID NET AT A RATE TO RAPIDLY EXTINGUISH A FAT FIRE, SPRAY MEANS IN SAID MEMBER BETWEEN SAID NET AND SAID NOZZLE FOR DIRECTING AN AQUEOUS SOLUTION CONTAINING A FOAMING AGENT ONTO THE 